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Direct Knowledge
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of one is incomplete without knowing all. Nothing can be known completely until and unless all things are known. So, Sarvajña, according to Jainism, means one who knows all the things completely.
According to the Nyāya and Vaišeșika systems there are two types of omniscience. The omniscience of God is eternal. It is neither produced nor destroyed. The omniscience of yogin is a kind of supernatural power obtained through yogic prac. tices. But, unlike the Jaina, this power is not the manifestation of a natural property of the soul, but an acquired embelishment; which vanishes after a certain period. According to Jainism the omniscience is an essential prerequisite of liberation. No soul cao aspire to the state of salvation without obtaining it. But this is not the case with the Nyaya-Vaišeşik systems. According to them the way to liberation is independent of omniscience. All the yogins do not necessarily obtain that power before attaining liberation. In the state of liberation also, they hold, cognition is totally absent, On the other band the Jairas propose that all the liberated souls are omniscient. They are always with perfect knowledge.
According to the Sānkhya, Yoga and Vedānta systems also Kaivalya and Sarvajñatva are two different things. Kaivalya as has been stated above is the state of liberation; where the cog. nition of worldly things does not remain. Sarvajñatva is a lower stage where the soul and matter are not absolutely separated from each other. According to the Sankhya knowledge is a function of Buddhi, which is an evolute of prakrti. The ques. tion of omniscience, therefore, has no concern with purusa. When the Buddhi obtains purity by removing the dirt of tamas and rajas, and the property of pure sattva is fully manifested, the aspirant attains the highest state of Vašikārasamjñā, the state of complete dispassionateness or perfect self-control; only then the omniscience is obtained. Like, Nyāya-Vaišeşik the Sankhya also holds this power as perishable and unessential for liberation. The state of Vaśıkārasamjñā can be compared with the state of Vitarāga as held by the Jainas,
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